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Sleep and culture in children with medical conditions

Julie Boergers1, Daphne Koinis-Mitchell

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Bradley-Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI 02903, USA. jboergers@lifespan.org

Journal of Pediatric Psychology
|March 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Children with chronic illnesses often have sleep problems, which can be worsened by cultural factors. More research is needed for culturally sensitive interventions to improve sleep in these children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Cultural Anthropology

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are prevalent in children with chronic illnesses.
  • Cultural beliefs and practices significantly influence child health and well-being.
  • The interplay between sleep, culture, and pediatric medical conditions is under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on the connections between sleep, culture, and medical conditions in children.
  • To highlight the impact of cultural factors on sleep in ill children.
  • To identify gaps in current research.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature search across major databases (PubMed, Medline, PsychINFO).
  • Inclusion of relevant articles and bibliographies.
  • Integrative review methodology.

Main Results:

  • Children with chronic illnesses exhibit higher rates of sleep problems compared to healthy peers.
  • Cultural beliefs and practices are identified as significant factors influencing sleep in chronically ill children.
  • Evidence suggests that cultural factors exacerbate the relationship between sleep and illness, particularly in diverse populations.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep is crucial for the health of children with chronic illnesses.
  • Cultural factors can contribute to both sleep issues and the development of specific medical conditions in children.
  • Further research is essential to develop culturally tailored interventions for pediatric sleep problems.
Abstract

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